Don't want swimsuit issue? It's your call

They don't want to see it and they certainly don't want it sent to them. Some view the sensuous lounging of supermodels in expensive bikinis as alien to the mission of a sports magazine.

But now the magazine is inviting subscribers to say "no thanks" to Veronica Varekova, Carolyn Murphy and other models, including the one who will be the winner of a new reality show, NBC's "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Search."

The headline on a small box in two recent issues read "If You Don't Want the Swimsuit Issue." The notice provided a phone number (1-866-228-1175) for subscribers to request the issue not be mailed to them. Those who do so will have their subscriptions extended by one issue.

Terry McDonell, managing editor of Sports Illustrated, said: "It's my third swimsuit issue and I wanted to flag this, because I think it's a good policy. I was thinking that if a family doesn't want this coming into their house, with six boys between the ages of 7 and 11, we should show them that it's our responsibility."

The policy for the swimsuit issue has been quietly in effect for decades. McDonell said the decision to make the offer explicit for the 42nd annual issue was not a reaction to a more conservative climate.

"That's the last message I'd want to send," he said. "This is about good manners."

So far, 25,829 paid subscribers, out of 3.2 million, or 0.8 percent, have asked not to receive the swimsuit issue.

Last year, when the policy was not spelled out on the magazine's letters page, 21,065 subscribers chose not to receive the special edition, which sold 1.56 million issues on newsstands. Subscribers receive the swimsuit issue free; newsstand buyers pay $5.99.